Elliot Pulmonary & Sleep Medicine

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Bronchial Thermoplasty

What is Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT)?
Bronchial Thermoplasty is an outpatient procedure clinically proven to reduce smooth muscle tissue that surrounds the walls of the airways, thereby reducing asthma exacerbations. With fewer asthma attacks, patients require fewer oral steroid treatments.

Bronchial Thermoplasty is a bronchoscopy based treatment that applies controlled energy through a small catheter to decrease airway smooth muscle in the airway. One Thermoplasty procedure is performed in three treatment sessions with a recovery period of three weeks or longer between sessions. We have a dedicated Bronchial Thermoplasty procedure room on the 2nd floor of Elliot Hospital where these procedures will take place.

Candidates for Bronchial Thermoplasty include, but are not limited to those who are:

• > 18 years of age
• Suffering from severe/symptomatic asthma
• Currently using inhaled corticosteroids and/or long acting beta agonist medications
• Using Prednisone (daily or >2 pulses/year)
• Admitted for ER visits or hospitalizations
• Utilizing multiple asthma medications or still experiencing symptoms
• Currently receiving or considering use of biologics

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The benefits of Bronchial Thermoplasty include significant improvements in quality of life, reduction in emergency department visits, steroid use and hospitalizations.

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Do you take your daily asthma medication as prescribed by your doctor and still have at least 2 or more asthma attacks a year that require you to take prednisone for those attacks?¹
If so, your asthma may be considered in the severe category by global asthma guidelines. Bronchial Thermoplasty (BT) is included as an option for adult patients with severe asthma still symptomatic despite Inhaled Corticosteroids and Long Acting Beta Agonists.¹

Bronchial Thermoplasty delivered by the Alair™ BT System from Boston Scientific, is a minimally invasive procedure that may be an option for patients 18 years or older who suffer from severe and persistent asthma that is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists. These patients may take multiple asthma medications, suffer from asthma attacks, and may be adjusting their lifestyle around their asthma symptoms.

About the BT Procedure

With no incision needed, BT is performed with a bronchoscope inserted through the nose or mouth and mild heat is delivered to the smooth muscle of the airway in the lungs, reducing the excessive smooth muscle.

Proven to last at least 5 Years

The Alair System is proven to be clinically safe and effective with results confirmed to last at least 5 years. BT reduces the smooth muscle, allowing the airways to constrict less and making breathing easier by decreasing severe asthma attacks. BT is also clinically proven to reduce the amount of ER visits by 84% and decrease severe exacerbations by 32%.²

Brief Statement of Relevant Indications for Use, Contraindications, Warnings, and Adverse Events: The Alair™ Bronchial Thermoplasty System is indicated for the treatment of severe persistent asthma in patients 18 years and older whose asthma is not well controlled with inhaled corticosteroids and long-acting beta-agonists. The Alair System is not for use in patients with an active implantable electronic device or known sensitivity to medications used in bronchoscopy. Previously treated airways of the lung should not be retreated with the Alair System. Patients should be stable and suitable to undergo bronchoscopy. The most common side effect of BT is an expected transient increase in the frequency and worsening of respiratory-related symptoms.

If you think that you would benefit from bronchial thermoplasty, please contact your physician for a referral to Dr. Mirza at 603-663-3770.

Sources
1.Global Strategy for Asthma Management and Prevention, Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA)2015. May 19, 2015 2.Castro M, et al, for the AIR2 Trial Study Group. Am J Respir Crit Care Med. 2010;181:116-124.